Butler, Nickolas. The Hearts of Men. New York: Harper Collins. 2017. Print.
First Sentences:
The Bugler needs no alarm.
In the musty close canvas darkness, his smallish hands fumble for the matchbox, scratch the blue sulfurous tip against the box, the match catching and burning, and finally the golden kerosene glow of the lantern, the wick burning like a lung on fire.
Description:
There is just something I love about Nickolas Butler, author of one of my favorites, Shotgun Lovesongs, and now his second novel, The Hearts of Men. He really gets into the minds and hearts of his characters, putting them in everyday situations and then watching how they deal with the world around them, other characters, and their own moral codes.
Set primarily at Boy Scout Camp Chippawa in upstate Wisconsin, The Hearts of Men follows the life of Nelson Doughty, the camp's young bugler, a very principled, disciplined and therefore outcast boy sent from a family that is slowly breaking up. Longing for friends, but unwilling to compromise his code of conduct, his life is a mix between being bullied, enjoying the world outdoors, and spending golden hours with the equally-disciplined World War I veteran scoutmaster, Wilbur, who has stories of his own and shares Nelson's values.
Only one older boy, Jonathan Quick, seems to stick up (occasionally) for Nelson. But when the chips are down, Jonathan is conflicted on his efforts regarding Nelson.
It is Jonathan who is the center of the second part of Hearts of Men. Thirty-three years later, Jonathan is now a successful businessman, married, and dropping off his own teenage son, Trevor, at the same Camp Chippawa. They spend the last night learning about each other, including Jonathan introducing Trevor to Deanna, another scout camp parent who is staying at the same hotel and having an affair with Jonathan. The last night of this father and son revolves around conversations and events created by Jonathan to try to educate the naive Trevor in the ways of the world - with mixed results.
Finally, the last section pick ups up the story twenty-three years later of Trevor and his wife, Rachel who are dropping off their son, Thomas, at (you guessed it) Camp Chippawa where Nelson, the former bullied bugler, is now the head scoutmaster. Much remains the same at camp as when Nelson was a scout there but much has changed in his life as well as in the camp life and parents.
A thoroughly engaging book that provides real characters facing common challenges that make up our modern world. You really care about these people and the choices they make that change their lives. You are pulled in, page after page, as these characters struggle with events that challenge their personal codes of behavior, their goals, and the people they love.
Butler, Nickolas. Shotgun Lovesongs
Five childhood friends re-unite in their hometown to celebrate a wedding, but uncover closely held secrets and relationships that change their lives. Wonderfully gentle, powerful writing with penetrating dialogue and insights for each character. One of my favorite books. (previously reviewed here)
Haruf, Kent. Our Souls at Night. New York: Borzoi. 2015. Print.
First Sentences:
And then there was the day when Addie Moore made a call on Louis Waters.
It was an evening in May just before full dark.
Description:
Sometimes a first sentences perfectly set the mood for the story ahead. Quiet, confidential, smoothly flowing like a friend confiding in you another tale fondly remembered. You are immediately drawn in to the narrator's simple words, settling in to listen to a tale being spun just for you from the memory of a friend.
Kent Haruf is just such a friend and gentle storyteller. His latest (and sadly his last as he died in 2014), Our Souls at Night continues his tales about the everyday people living in the tiny town of Holt, Colorado.
In the opening pages, Addie Moore bring a modest proposal to her neighbor Louis Waters.
I wonder if you would consider coming to my house sometimes to sleep with me...we're both alone. We've been by ourselves for too long. For years, I'm lonely. I think you might be to. I wonder if you would come and sleep in the night with me. And talk.
Both are senior citizens, widowed, with grown families. They agree to spend nights together in bed to talk and combat the loneliest hours of their single lives. No sex is involved, just gentle conversation, getting to know each other, and enjoying some companionship. Louis arrives at Addie's house each evening and leaves early in the morning. Their lives continue as usual except for this nightly arrangement. And that's the whole story. But in the hands of a writer like Haruf, it is enough to keep any reader engrossed.
The people in their small town soon get wind of this situation, of course, and make judgments, some derogatory and some envious. Addie and Louis' families express shock at their behavior, reactions that affect their new relationship and that of Addie's young grandson who is temporarily living with her.
This is a quiet tale of real people with honest thoughts and reflective natures. They deal with this new situation with curiosity, hope, and grace while slowly recounting their lives to each other, their successes and failures, and their dreams. The reactions of other townspeople leave them indifferent, deciding that at their age they can do whatever they like without worrying about the opinions of others. As Louis sums up in his goals for living:
I just want to live simply and pay attention to what's happening each day. And come sleep with you at night.
Highly recommended for a great read, a story of kindness, compassion, grace, and some real sadness in the lives of two quality people.
If this book interests you, be sure to check out:
Haruf, Kent. Plainsong
Two crusty bachelor farmers in the tiny town of Holt, Colorado, find a pregnant teenager on their doorstep and take her in, completely changing the lives of all three forever. A fine, gentle, honest book that should be read by everyone.
Zevin, Gabrielle. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin. 2014. Print
First Sentences:
On the ferry from Hyannis to Alice Island, Amelia Loman paints her nails yellow and, while waiting for them to dry, skims her predecessor's notes.
Description:
As you know by now, I'm a sucker for stories about books, libraries, book sellers, reading experiences, collectors, whatever. I love John Dunning's Booked to Die, Christopher Morley's The Haunted Bookshop, Helene Hanff's 84 Charing Cross, Joe Queenan's One for the Books, and Larry McMurtry's Books: A Memoir, not only for their great writing and stories, but because they focus on people like me who read and love books. And as a bonus, these books usually provide references to other great books, so I get tips about previously unknown (to me) titles for my night table's to-be-read pile.
In Gabrielle Zevin's The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, all the elements of a great book-about-books are present: eccentric people, unique bookstore, undying passion (for books and specific people), references to books worth reading, and underlying noble theme of preserving the printed word. There's even a nice romance to round out all the great qualities of this book.
Amelia Loman is a salesperson from a publisher eager to get her company's books into the hands of A.J. Fikry and onto the shelves of his "persnickety little bookstore." Fikry and his Island Books are located in an small island community in Massachusetts that takes several hours to reach by boat. Amelia is not-so-young, smart, and a bit naïve when it comes to dealing with the curmudgeons found in these types of bookstores, especially Fikry. As for personal relationships, she is a "bright-sider" who feels "it is better to be alone than to be with someone who doesn't share your sensibilities and interests."
She pitches her winter list of books to Fikry, including her personal favorite, The Late Bloomer, the memoirs of a man who marries for the first time at age 78, only to have his wife die two years later. Fikry will have none of that book for the simple reason "it is not for me." Turns out he has a long list of what kinds of books that are not for him:
I don't like postmodernism, postapocalyptic settings, postmortem narrators, or magic realism. I rarely respond to supposedly clever formal devices, multiple fonts, pictures where they shouldn't be---basically, gimmicks of any kind. I find literary fiction about the Holocaust or any other major world tragedy to be distasteful...I do not like genre mash-ups a la the literary detective novel or the literary fantasy. Literary should be literary, and genre should be genre, and crossbreeding rarely results in anything satisfying ....
Wow, a man of discerning tastes, and one who is in a position to enforce his tastes via the stock of his bookstore. Imagine the power of only stocking books you love and respect, without needing to consider "children's books, especially ones with orphans;" never having to clutter your shelves with young adult titles; and rejecting "anything over four hundred pages or under one hundred fifty pages." Maybe it is just me, but the thought of introducing customers only to books I personally love and respect is quite heady. Must be the personal quirk that is the genesis behind this blog.
Anyways, the story centers on these two intelligent, opinionated, and admirably quirky people... and that alone should be enough to satisfy any reader. But there also is a good plot involving a store break-in where a valuable Edgar Allen Poe book is taken, a suicide, a baby abandoned in the store, and wonderful interactions with customers and "well-meaning townies" in this tiny coastal tourist destination.
As an added bonus, beginning each chapter is a one-page, often snarky review by Fikry of a short story he recommends: (The Luck of Roaring Camp by Bret Harte, A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor, The Tell-Tale Heart by E.A. Poe, and The Diamond As Big As the Ritz by F. Scott Fitzgerald, etc.).
The writing is solid, the characters fascinating, and the plot compelling in its mystery, romance, and relationships. It's a book that pulls you in slowly, but soon grabs you through its plot and likable characters, where you will not to be released until the very last pages when all the pieces are tied up (including the real story behind Amelia's favorite and Fikry's disdained book, The Late Bloomer).
Believe me, it is a wonderful ride.
If this book interests you, be sure to check out:
Dunning, John. Booked to Die
Ex-cop turned rare book dealer finds himself once again pulled into the world of murder. Great information on finding rare books, pricing interesting titles, and the dilemma of wanting to keep every book you stock for your own private collection. (previously reviewed here)
Hanff, Helene. 84 Charing Cross Road
Memoirs of an American woman and her correspondence with a London rare book dealer who tries to supply her needs for good quality, cheap, and hard-to-find titles.
Queenan, Joe. One for the Books
Memories from a major book collector and discerning reader who has at least 15 books being read at a time. Fantastic references to quality reads as well as criticisms of popular and classic titles. (Previously reviewed here.)
Butler, Nickolas. Shotgun Lovesongs. New York: St. Martin's Press. 2014. Print
First Sentences:
We invited him to all of our weddings; he was famous.
We addressed the invitations to his record company's skyscraper in New York City so that the gaudy, gilded envelopes could be forwarded to him on tour -- in Beirut, Helsinki, Tokyo. Places beyond our ken or our limited means.
Description:
What better kind of book is there than one that introduces five intelligent, interesting characters and then gives them room to narrate an unusually complex story through their own perspectives in strong, simple yet passionate words.
In Nickolas Butler's debut novel, Shotgun Lovesongs, five childhood friends reunite for a wedding in their tiny hometown of Little Wing, Wisconsin. Through the events over the next days and the following months, each friend reflects on the current intertwining of their lives as well as their youth with nostalgia, love, jealousy, and some bitterness.
But this story is more than a bunch of people reminiscing. The wedding, the parties, the meals, the arguments, and the quiet times together slowly open up old memories as well as kindle suppressed feelings of envy, love, anger, and regret that influence their words and actions in unexpected ways.
Each chapter is narrated by a different friend, bringing his or her unique knowledge about the past and present. Their individual voices tell stories with insight and mixed emotions as they try to interact with and understand who their friends really were and have now become. It's an intimate book, where we readers are privy to the inner thoughts and motivations of these friends, building a personal bond with the plot and characters that is a rare pleasure to read.
The friends featured in Shotgun Lovesongs are:
- Henry and Beth - a long-married couple who never left their child home town of Little Wing, and now farm their land and raise their family, but soon face unexpected conflict as secret relationships with their best friends are exposed;
- Kip - left Little Wing to earn his fortune in Chicago and now returns to hold his wedding among his friends and also to renovate a decrepit mill into a focal point of the town, a noble but controversial, alienating project;
- Ronny - a former rodeo cowboy who has taken one too many falls, but still retains his goodness and friendship with the others in his simple life in Little Wing, a world he longs to leave as soon as possible;
- Lee - the local boy who has exploded onto the music scene and now travels the world in wealth and fan adulation, but still holds a special longing for his previous life and friends in Little Wing along with serious doubts about his career and life choices.
These are people who watch sunrises and sunsets together from top of the mill silo, but each through his own perspective. Lee, the composer, tries to explain the musical tones behind the colors in the sky, while Kip dreams of converting the mill to a profitable center of the town. Henry can see his farm and Ronny, the vistas he used to travel to with the rodeo.
And, boy, can NIckolas Butler write descriptions, dialogue, and private thoughts. In each chapter, the narrator/friend is slowly revealed via his/her unique voice and interpretation of the actions and other people. Some examples?
His left ring finger had begun to overcome his wedding band. The ring had become part of him, in the way that a fence-tree gradually absorbs the barbed wire wrapped around its bark --- Henry
The only thing I could think to do was to come back home, out of exile, to show the boys -- now men -- "Look,. Look what I did. Look at who I am now. Look at me" --- Kip
I ain't sad. I'm just bored stiff ... if I was a wild horse, I'd bolt right off and just keep on running. I want to break out of here so bad and I don't even know where I want to go. Maybe Anyplace, I guess. I know they think I can't take care of myself, but I sure as hell can. I'm not a smart man -- I know that -- but I ain't dumb. And the way things are, it's like I'm in a cage --- Ronny
It isn't very romantic, but after you've been married almost ten years, an afternoon fuck can feel like you've gotten away with a minor crime, an act as thrilling and banal as shoplifting. --- Beth
The voice of an old friend -- like finding a wall to orient you in some strange, dark hotel room. The world is still out there. --- Lee
There is such feeling in Butler's writing that can paint this loving, complicated picture of the Midwest, the small town of Little Wing, and the people who live there. These are people pulled by the force of this small town, a power that binds these friends together to experience each and their familiar hometown, warts and all. As Ronny notes while eating awful food in the local cafe:
Only in the Midwest would someone spend their money in a place they hate simply because they feel bad for the proprietors. Also, I suppose, because they know your name.
These are fine people with stories to tell. So personal, so passionate, so honest. Shotgun Lovesongs is one of my new favorite recommendations, a truly strong, yet intimate read. And don't be surprised by the unexpected turns in the story because these friends are real people capable of new, completely out-of-the-blue actions.
It's a funny thing, being married to someone for so long, being someone's best friend for so long. Because on those few occasions when they surprise you, it feels like the biggest thing in the world, like a crack in the sky, like the moon, suddenly rising over the horizon twenty times bigger than the last time you looked.
If this book interests you, be sure to check out:
Krueger, William Kent. Ordinary Grace: A Novel
Thirteen-year-old boy tells of his summer of explorations, suicide, murder, love, and family challenges in a small town in Minnesota in 1961. Not your ordinary coming-of-age story, this one is full of real people facing personal questions and opportunities during these summer days in a more innocent time. Well worth the time to read.
Cassella, Carol. Gemini: A Novel
Another small-town story of two friends who lives intersect in their early teens, who separate and then rejoin unexpectedly 25 years later. Gemini also presents a parallel story of an ICU doctor treating a comatose hit-and-run patient facing questions about how long a doctor can prolong life artificially when a family cannot be found to make critical decisions about treatment. Complex, challenging, and lovely.
First Sentences:
